


I'm On My Way

by ind1go_ink



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: Alternate Reality, Alternate Universe - X-Ray & Vav, Crossover, King Mogar - Freeform, M/M, Mild Sexual Content, Minecraft King AU, Non-Graphic Rape/Non-Con, Non-Graphic Violence, Rape/Non-con Elements, Unrequited Lust
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-05-13
Updated: 2016-05-01
Packaged: 2018-03-30 08:14:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,553
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3929545
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ind1go_ink/pseuds/ind1go_ink
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What’s a superhero going to do when the one person who he trusts 100% is taken from him?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by Tease It Production's X-Ray and Vavmix.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> X-Ray is concussed, and Vav wakes up to a new world order.

There was something inherently peaceful about being two hundred feet above the city’s skyline, watching the commotion below with tired eyes, perched on the roof of a skyscraper. Granted, X-Ray couldn’t actually get down, but he was content. The clouds looked close enough to touch.

They’d just finished battling the Corpirate, the mind-control tower had been destroyed, and in the resulting blast, a few things had changed. For one, X-Ray was severely concussed, which could account for his lack of panic, Vav was nowhere to be seen, and Hilda was busy tinkering with ORF.

‘Where’s Vav?’ He mumbled, turning his gaze away from the lights in favour of staring at Hilda, who shrugged.

‘No idea. Now, shut up. I have to recalibrate ORF.’

The machine’s lights were off, and the black hole where it’s face normally was disturbed X-Ray immensely. It reminded him of the gap in his chest. Unease was surging through him, but he couldn’t bring himself to do anything about it.

‘He couldn’t have been hurt, right?’ He asked, his mouth pulling down at the corners. Hilda shrugged again, a frown passing across her features.

‘I don’t know.’ her reply was sharp, and X-Ray figured it was time to move, because it was clear something more than ORF’s calibration was bothering her. He stood, ignoring the way his cape tangled lovingly around his legs and walked over to the inventor.

‘Where’s Vav?’ he repeated.

Hilda’s hands paused amidst the wiring of ORF’s insides, the same frown returning. ‘I don’t know.’

‘I call bullshit.’

Her gaze flickered from X-Ray to ORF, before she removed her glasses, rubbing the bridge of her nose with a sigh.

‘He was transported to another dimension because of the shock-wave. I’ve been messing around with ORF’s system in the hopes that I can create a link between said dimensions because the one trace I have of it, says that it’s electronic, but it’s not working!’

‘T-Transported?’ X-Ray’s face betrayed his total confusion before he slumped to his knees beside her, only offering Hilda a blank gaze before his face twisted yet again. ‘You mean we can’t get him back?’ He gathered his cape in his hands, fingers kneading the material viciously. ‘H-He’s gone?’

So that’s what the gaping hole in his chest was about. It seemed to widen as the words sunk further into X-Ray’s mind, his breath coming slightly faster. His best friend was gone. Gone somewhere he couldn’t follow. What if he was hurt? He’d be so lost with him, the moron would never be able to survive even with all his planning and after all wasn’t it Vav who said they’d stick together for as long as the world survived? The Earth needed them, X-Ray needed him, he couldn’t skip out so easily as that and fuck if X-Ray just couldn’t comprehend living without his best friend, after all the shit-

‘Not quite,’ Hilda’s gaze softened as she interrupted his internal musings. ‘We can follow him, but I need to get back to my lab. I need a stronger tracer, and to open a portal to another dimension...’ The doubtful look on Hilda’s face made X-Ray’s brain hurt. He couldn’t do this dumb superhero stunt without his Vav, for God’s sake. ‘I think only one person can go through. On the up side, I know exactly which dimension he’s in!’

‘Send me through.’

‘I said I need to-’

X-Ray stood, dragging a piece of the amplifier with him. ‘Send me through, right now.’

Hilda gazed at the wreckage, eyes calculating just how much salvage she’d need to get a portal up and running through ORF. After a few minutes, a small smile crept onto her face.

‘Alright, now this is more like it!’ She cheered, pelting over to grab an inconspicuous piece of metal. ‘This will have enough juice to get you through. But coming back, you’ll have to be through in five minutes, or the link will dissipate forever. Plus,’ she went on.  ‘I don’t know what’s on the other side. There might be many enemies.’

She pulled an earpiece from her pocket. ‘This is trans-dimensional. So when you want to come back through, just push the button and tell me.’

X-Ray nodded, taking the earpiece from her. ‘Will do.’ His jaw clenched as she began setting up. He needed his best friend back, even if that meant dimension travelling with no idea what was on the other side, so be it.

~

When Vav woke up, he found himself staring up at a bear with sunlight streaming down on him. He shrieked, tried to scramble backwards, only to jerk to a halt. He had rope binding his feet and hands, to what, he wasn’t sure. The bear was blocking most of his view.

‘Wha-’

‘Silence!’ The bear spoke.

Vav’s eyes widened. ‘Oh, wow! A talkin’ bear! I’ve never seen one of you before!’

The bear seemed to pause. ‘What?’

‘You’re a talking bear, that’s incredible!’

It shook it’s head. ‘Quiet!’

Then, the bear removed it’s head. In place of the bear’s head, was now a man’s. Fiery locks framed his porcelain freckled skin, and, man, could this guy _scowl_.

Vav raised an eyebrow. ‘Er-’

‘QUIET!’ The man snarled, moving around him with eyes narrowed and animalistic movements. ‘What are you?’ He poked Vav, which only made the Brit squawk and try to shuffle away from the tickling fingers.

‘Ryan,’ The redhead addressed someone out of Vav’s field of vision.

‘Yes, my liege?’

‘Keep it well-fed. I think I want it as a pet.’

It took a moment for Vav to realise that he was the “it” they were talking about, and he huffed indignantly, hands rising to do his signature “Slow-Mo Hands” before a sword, an honest-to-God _sword_ was pointed at him. It gleamed brightly in the sun, a blue sheen glaring Vav in the eyes.

‘Ow.’ He averted his gaze from it.

‘Good,’ The redhead seemed pleased, turning away for a moment, allowing Vav a view of the scenery.

Before him lay a courtyard, of sorts. It had walls at least, with a gate surrounded with iron bars. There was a strip of red carpet encased by gold - that he was sitting on-, and on either side of that, stretching to the walls, was trimmed grass. A few people wandered in and out of the gate, throwing him curious glances. One person was completely in futuristic armour - similar to that of a Halo game. Another was wearing a mottled green skin of a creature Vav had never seen before. The head of the creature gazed at him balefully before the owner walked to a furnace in the corner and shoved something into it. Vav’s back was resting against something cool, and when he tilted his head back, he could see that he was tied to the side of a giant throne. Stone steps led up to a red fabric covered plinth, and the back of the throne reached to the sky, atop it was a shiny black square of material, leading up four blocks of gold.

Vav winced at the sight. ‘Where am I?’

‘You are in the kingdom of King Mogar,’ A second voice informed him.

‘King? But kingdoms were demolished _ages_ ago!’

The redhead turned around, a snarl on his face. ‘Yes, King. I am your King. You are now my _pet_.’

He plucked at the blue spandex of Vav’s suit. ‘Behave well and I won’t kill you.’

‘X-Ray...’ He breathed in a moment of realisation. Where was X-Ray? ‘You haven’t happened to have seen another guy dressed like me, have you?!’

King Mogar cocked his head. ‘No. Should I?’

‘Uh,’ Vav’s mouth twisted. ‘Nope!’

_God, X-Ray!_ Vav pleaded in his head. _What have I gotten myself into now!_


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> X-Ray needs his friend, but Vav is stuck.

A cacophony of sound and light greeted X-Ray as he faced the portal down. He had on his utility pants, which had been stuffed to the brim with weaponry, food, and even an oxygen mask if he so chose. Which he did. His usual suit had enhancements, at Hilda’s suggestion, she’d modified it to change with the scenery lest he be visible to any enemies in the vicinity.

He was ready.

Well, Hilda told him he was ready, he didn’t feel quite as ready as he wanted. But that didn’t matter, Vav needed his help.

He took a steadying breath, nodding to Hilda, before taking a running jump head-first into the swirling vortex.

‘I’m on my way.’ The whisper stayed longer than it should have, echoing through empty space as he curled in on himself, clutching his knees.

It occurred to him as he hit a barrier that seemed to push him back, that perhaps Hilda was just a bit stupid to place the portal right on the edge of the tower, that if the portal hadn't worked he'd be a distant splat on the ground before everything in his vision turned an alarming shade of white and he lost consciousness.

~

Vav glared at the man named Ryan for the millionth time that night. The man with the skirt ignored the look, and kept poking him. The only things illuminating the place were the torches strung around the throne and walkway.

'What are you doing?' Vav asked, a violent dislike of the strange man bubbling in his gut. 'I _am_ human, you know. I'm not a bloody animal. I can talk.'

'If you're human, what kind of skin is this?' Ryan snapped the spandex, making Vav yelp at the sting. Ryan's eyes seemed to light up at that, and he did it again, laughing when Vav hissed through his teeth.

'It's my bloody clothing, you prick! And that hurts!'

'Good.' Ryan smiled, his teeth bared and eyes wide. It made him look quite sinister, so Vav decided to complain.

'King Mogar!' He whined, tugging on the ropes.

Mogar, not to Vav's knowledge, had been watching the display.  'Ryan, leave my pet be. Go and do your work with Edgar.' He sneered, descending from his throne to sit at Vav's side, petting his hair.

Vav only poked his tongue out at Ryan, a smug smirk on his face. Even if Mogar was decidedly condescending, he held all the power, and Vav was his “pet”. For now.

For now... The thought that he'd never see X-Ray again made Vav swallow the smug grin, eyes dropping to the grass. He needed to escape, get back to his partner. A wave of exhaustion followed the thought and he glanced up at Mogar.

'Your majesty-' He began.

'Hold your tongue.' The King was up in a second, crouched, with his sword at the ready.  A rattling noise sounded nearby and Vav's heart nearly fell out of his mouth when an arrow thunked in the fabric of the carpet three inches away. Mogar charged whatever had shot at Vav, yelling obscenities while battling furiously with it, an arrow hitting him in the thigh before the creature fell without a sound. Vav stared on in horror as he saw the creature - it looked like a human skeleton but had a bow and arrow clenched firmly in it’s fingers.

'What is that?!' He shrieked, scrambling backwards as far as the ropes would allow. He ended up on the second step to the throne.

'A skeleton.' Mogar bared his teeth and pulled the arrow from his thigh, the tip gleaming dully with blood in the moonlight.

'Bloody hell.' He muttered at the sight, ignoring the dribbles of blood down Mogar's leg in favour of lying down.

'Pet. What are you doing?'

'My _name_ is Vav. And I'm going to sleep.'

'Don't be ridiculous. You may come to the side of my throne.'

Mogar motioned at him to sit up, and Vav did as he was told, letting Mogar untie the ropes restraining him to the throne and lead him up the stairs.

On top of the plinth was a surprisingly comfortable looking bed, a four-poster mahogany carved affair, with sheer curtains draped from each side. On either side of the bed were elaborately carved chests, with inlaid gold filigree.

Mogar tied the ends of his ropes around one of the massive chests, but not before spreading a rug down for Vav to rest on. Even though he was marginally more comfortable, and Mogar didn’t seem too angry with him, Vav couldn’t help but pull a face at the way he was being treated. Like an animal.

He desperately wanted to see a familiar face, but watched through lidded curious eyes as each person came to the throne, knelt at the bottom step and walked around the back. The first to do so was the futuristic armour person, the transparent yellow screen of his helmet only gave away a moustache and shaded sharp eyes that gazed at Vav with clarity. The next was Ryan, who Vav glared at with a curled lip. That dude was creepy beyond belief. After Ryan was a man with another helmet, but this time his clothes seemed to stick to his skin. A different type of cling than Vav’s spandex. The helmet completely shrouded the man’s face. Then it was the green skinned creature-man again, who’s gaze seemed to linger on Vav with tenacity, even when Mogar addressed him, the pernicious gaze stayed on Vav.

Then, when the last person walked up, Vav recognised him immediately.

‘X-Ray!’ He called, limbs tugging on the ropes instinctively. The man in the fresh looking suit gazed up at him with confusion clear in his eyes.

‘X-Ray, it’s me! Vav!’

Mogar yanked on his ropes with a snarl, making Vav fall back against the chest, his head knocking sharply against the wood.

‘Tuxedo Mask, what is this?’ Mogar advanced on the man, who only glanced between Vav and his King.

‘I don’t know this thing.’ He replied, bowing his head as Mogar stopped next to him. ‘I have never seen it before in my life.’

‘X-Ray...’ Vav exclaimed, brows furrowing. ‘Of course you know me, you doughnut!’

‘I-I don’t.’ The man shook his head, eyes fixed to the ground.

Mogar gripped this Tuxedo Mask’s hair, eyes narrowed. ‘Do you know it?’ He hissed. Tuxedo Mask shook his head, eyes clenched shut, face twisted as his King’s hands tugged his hair painfully tight.

‘No, Your Highness.’

Mogar shoved him away. ‘Sleep.’ He spat, walking back up the steps to his bed, shooting one last glare at the back of Tuxedo Mask’s head before facing Vav.

‘You lie, pet.’ Then his arm raised to strike.

~

X-Ray woke up.

Sunlight drowned him, unbearably hot. His spandex suit clung to his skin with ferocity, so that when he tried to move, he squeaked.

He gazed into the bluest sky he’d ever seen, there was nothing but silence around him. He sat up, eyes narrowed against the blinding glare of the sun. Sand surrounded him on all sides, with the occasional cactus looming over the horizon.

‘Well, fuck.’

He stood, emptying sand out of his boots with a tap, using his X-Ray glasses to scan through the mountains of sand. The stuff went on for _miles_. He perked up once he found trees, though he had no idea of exactly how far away it was.

With a sigh, he started walking.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> X-Ray finds his way out of the desert, and Vav makes a friend.

Vav let the sounds wash over him before he dared open his eyes. From the small amount of light trying to pierce through his eyelids he assumed it was close to dawn. He could hear the King snoring away next to him, and various animal noises. The occasional rattling or hissing noise had Vav tensing but no creature came closer.

In the distant he could hear people moving about, as though he were at a campsite and everyone was up at dawn.

He winced as the dull throbbing that he'd tried to ignore made its presence felt. The entire right side of his face ached with tension, and he was half sure he had a black eye. As he yawned, dried blood cracked on his upper lip. Vav silently cursed when he felt liquid well up in the centre of the cleft. So that had been split... Mogar was brutal and calculated in his beatings. He had to give him props for that. His entire body ached with bruises, but he knew nothing was severely damaged.

Vav sat up, arms aching from being held at a strange angle all night, his feet felt hot and swollen, and when he shook his boots off, they looked too purple for his liking.

He stayed silent, wary of waking the King. This guy was undoubtedly a lunatic, with a bunch of crazy followers to boot. They were probably in some section of a forest he'd never visited, and he was their hostage.

When he tried to crook his fingers, a grunt of pain left his mouth. He glanced at the bed to make sure Mogar was still sleeping before straightening them out. Again, pain shot through his joints.

His fingers were useless like this. Besides, if he did manage to Slow-Mo Hands Mogar, he needed to untie the rope, and the knots were ones he had never seen before.

But he had to get free. He needed to go home.

~

X-Ray was pretty sure he was dying. Pain kept shooting through his body, sharp white spikes that drove into every joint and were left deep in his flesh.

Walking was becoming increasingly harder.

He'd packed enough water for two weeks, but as he collapsed onto a sand dune, staring blankly at the green horizon, he figured he had all of about five days of water left.

It was so _far_.

He crawled, dragging cracked, worn nails through searing sand. His suit was rubbing against his skin, and X-Ray was fairly sure everything beneath the suit would be bleeding. He felt sticky, raw to the bone, and the heat coming down on him was turning his head to jelly.

He needed to get to the damn trees.

He stopped, flipping onto his back before rummaging in his utility pants, pulling out a jar of water with a grimace.

If he could actually get to the trees, maybe there would be a water source and he could restock his supply.

He took a swig, the water soothing his raw throat and heated insides. He flipped himself back over and stood on shaking legs.

Food was scarce, too, but he knew that all he’d have to do is use his X-Ray glasses and he’d be set.

He set off yet again, mouth pressed into a hard line in determination.

He was going to get his best friend back no matter the cost to himself. Vav needed him and he wasn’t going to let him down.

He sustained himself on that thought alone till he reached the outskirts of what looked like a forest, collapsing against a tree trunk with a grateful sigh.

He hesitated on moving any further now that he’d found shade, the cool air kissing his sunburnt skin, but dragged himself up, awkwardly clambering into the tree’s branches.

He scanned the area with his glasses, pleased to find a clump of shapes not too far away. Sure, he was close to _something_ with no idea what it was, but he was relatively well hidden, and the environment changing suit would help disguise his body further. Besides, maybe Vav was there.

He pulled a rumpled blanket out of his utility pants, struggling, with the unwilling item, to pull it over himself before he settled in for the night as the sun sank below the horizon.

~

Vav struggled against the bonds tying to him to the chest. Mogar had gone to “survey his people” - and Vav had seen the opportunity, patiently putting up with the condescending pets to his hair and the force-feeding, biding his time before he could make his escape.

It wasn’t working so well.

The knots were tight, and his hands were more than stiff, the pain becoming more difficult to withstand with each frail tug on the ropes. His feet felt almost numb, the tips of his toes in his boots prickling with an unpleasant sensation.

He was all but lost to despair and exhaustion when a hand closed around his throat. The grip was soft, but held the promise that if he did something stupid, it would get tighter and more than likely wouldn’t stop. He tried to ignore the way his adam’s apple bobbed against the hand and instead looked up.

It was X-Ray, or as Mogar had called him, Tuxedo Mask.

Vav’s brow wrinkled. ‘Wha-’

Tuxedo Mask held a finger to his lips, eyes narrowed. He then removed a pair of white gloves from his pockets and slipped them on, hands going to the knots a moment later. Within seconds he had them undone.

Vav stood as Tuxedo Mask gripped his arm.

‘Are you letting me go?’ Vav asked X-Ray’s doppelganger. The man shook his head silently, mouth pressed into a hard line before he yanked Vav down the steps of the throne and around the back.

The movement after two days of sitting in the same position made Vav feel giddy, his feet stumbling over one another as his vision swam.

‘Wait,’ He rasped, almost falling before Tuxedo Mask righted him, an arm slung across his shoulder. Vav winced at the support. He’d never felt so weak or so helpless in his life.

He tried to pay attention as they inched their way behind the throne. Sunken into the ground a few metres behind the throne, and facing the wall, was a thick wooden door with no discernible markings carved into it. Tuxedo Mask juggled Vav and opening the door, huffing out a strained breath once he managed to kick the door open and shove Vav none too gently down some roughly hewn stone stairs.

Vav stumbled to the bottom, ending up as a heap at the bottom of the stairs with a squeak and a resounding thud.

‘Idiot,’ He heard Tuxedo Mask mutter under his breath before shutting the heavy door and locking it.

Vav pulled himself up, clutching the wall before training his gaze on his surroundings. ‘Where is this?’ He asked when he noted the five haphazardly put together bunks, each bed with it’s own trench. The blankets looked threadbare and worn, what served as a pillow was a bundle of cloth. In the corner, only slightly sectioned off from the open room, was what looked to be a toilet. Vav’s brow furrowed at the less than lavish living quarters.

‘Is this where you all live?’

‘Yeah.’

Tuxedo Mask walked over to the furthest bed from the sign signalling that the hole was indeed a "dumping ground". He gestured Vav over to his bed, patting the space beside him.

‘Sorry to be so rough with you,’ He murmured when Vav sat, massaging the life back into his hands and feet, removing his boots with a sigh and wiggling his toes. ‘We don’t have much time.’

‘Yeah,’ Vav sighed, eyes springing from his feet to stare at Tuxedo Mask in surprise when he felt a hand trace across his shoulder.

‘You’re like Gavin.’ He spoke softly still, eyebrows drawn together with a pained look in his eye. ‘So much like him. But… You’re not him.’

‘And you’re like X-Ray!’ Vav said, a sad smile tugging at his lips as he wondered how his best friend was faring without him, if he even had realised that he was gone. ‘But… not.’ He tried to ignore the way his lip trembled at the thought. ‘Wait… Who’s Gavin?’

‘He’s… a friend. The creeper.’ Tuxedo Mask nodded to the bunk next to his, crowded with random knick-knacks, sticks and leaves, a bar of gold at the foot of his bed. There were even paintings hung above his bed.

‘King Mogar never comes down here, so we try to make it home.’

‘What’s a creeper?’

Tuxedo Mask sighed, running a hand over his face. ‘Green skin, black face, they explode if you get too close? He’s wearing the skin of a creeper.’

Memory struck and Vav frowned in confusion. ‘Oh! That guy. I wondered why he was staring at me so weird.’

‘Is there another me?’ Tuxedo Mask’s voice came out small after a silence fell around the bunker, it sounded almost frail, and he stared past Vav with a determined look in his eye. ‘Another me, but one that is not quite me?’

Vav looked down, toes bunching through the dirt floor. ‘Yeah. X-Ray.’

‘What’s he like?’


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> X-Ray is thrown into a new perspective, and Vav's homesickness has some undesired consequences.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's short, I am so sorry. I'm in the midst of exams at the moment. I'll try to keep each chapter above 1k words at the very least, and I may re-do them once I have the time. Thanks for sticking with me so far!

~~~~The night for X-Ray passed without incident, his sleep-crusted eyelids only opening once the sun had breached the leaves shrouding his hiding spot. He stretched with a hollow yawn, back conforming to the gnarled buckles of the branches he had created a nest in, muscles waking slowly. He took a moment to rub at his face, scrubbing the physical remains of his sleep away before rummaging in his utility pants, delving into the very depths and conjuring another jar of water. With this, he drank some, using the other half to wash his face. He packed up his blanket, which, he was pleased to see, had softened overnight, and clambered down from the tree.

‘Now,’ He muttered to himself, scanning through the trees to identify the mass shapes that lay huddled in a valley, hugging the edge of a beach not five kilometres away. ‘There we go!’

Now that X-Ray had a clear mind, and could feel the danger of the situation alone radiating in waves, he was far more cautious. He deftly pulled a miniature version of Hilda’s giant taser from his utility pants, clutching it in his palm, ducking between the thick trees and scaling the slight mounds of the foreign terrain.

When he was close enough to identify _what_ the buildings were, by perching in a high tree, he felt a renewed vigor in the agility of his movements. It appeared to be a courtyard, and people flowed in and out of the gate on a near constant basis. One man in particular, with auburn hair and what looked to be a bear skin as a cloak, seemed to command the most respect from the others, remaining outside of the courtyard for the most length of time. Their clothing was strange, even with the distorted vision of the X-Ray glasses, it seemed outlandish. Even the way they acted, with bowed heads, simpering attitudes, made X-Ray’s stomach curl in disquiet.

It was when there were people that X-Ray had not yet seen, both coming from behind the megalith of a monument, that his curiosity piqued. They were too far to see clearly, even with the X-Ray vision, so he settled on watching their behaviour.

One was leading the other, both going towards the top of the monument, where one sat, and the other… What was he doing? Elaborate hand gestures floated around the seated person’s raised arms, going to their ankles a moment later, a hand going to rest on the seated one’s head before the person hurried away, coming out of the gate and into full view.

That was when X-Ray swore his heart stopped.

~

Vav was in tears. It wouldn’t cease, the heated roll of the liquid down his cheeks bought a burning shame with it, his stomach roiling as guilt overrode him. He gagged, ignoring the sting of the ropes around his wrists and ankles. Tuxedo Mask had opened him up with inquisitive gazes and softly spoken words, letting Vav do all the talking. And talk he did, all animation and excitement when X-Ray was brought into his mind, words falling endlessly from his lips as his eyes sparked.

It was only when Tuxedo Mask had warned him, grabbed his arm and hurried him back to the throne, back to his capture and shame, that Vav had let the homesickness sink in. It had latched onto him, with fierce claws and shredding teeth, each breath he took stabbing a knife into his heart. He couldn’t hold back the choking sobs, the pitiful whimpers. It made him feel all the more helpless, and he hated it. His split lip had rent open with the twist of his mouth when he tried to hold back, the blood mixing with the salt of his tears, a faint metallic aftertaste coating his tongue, a deep sinking heat wracking his entire body.

Even when Mogar returned, he couldn’t stop.

‘Pet, why do you moan so pitifully?’ Mogar hissed as he threw unidentifiable objects into the chest Vav wasn’t tied to, before turning on him, arms folded across his chest, a deep scowl tracing lines as vast as the land they were in. ‘Do you lack some comfort? Have I not given you enough already?’ He advanced, gripping Vav by the hair, tilting the Brit’s head back. Even through swollen, sore eyes Vav could see the anger building in the King’s body, but he said nothing, merely whimpering in his throat.

Mogar leaned in his face, eyes glaring. ‘Pathetic.’ he spat.

Vav let his eyelids fall closed as tears kept coming, swallowing thickly when he heard the metallic _shink_ of a sword being drawn from it’s scabbard. The cold sharpness was pressed to his throat a moment later, Mogar’s fingers carding through his hair, surprisingly gentle.

‘I don’t know where you are from, but if you are the same as any other man, then I know what will cheer you up.’

Vav opened his eyes, flinching back when Mogar gripped his jaw, tilting his head back only slightly. The King leaned in close, and Vav caught the heavy scent surrounding him, eyebrows furrowing when he realised what it was. Musk. Tendrils of lush forest, fresh rain, husky overtures of bark and earth, sprinkled with high notes of vanilla. It startled the superhero more than anything. He’d expected all of them to smell unwashed, but now that he’d thought about it, distracted by Mogar’s vivid gaze, Tuxedo Mask hadn’t smelt terrible either.

All thoughts vanished when Mogar pushed himself closer than what Vav thought acceptable, a solid huff brushing Vav’s neck, raising unwanted goosebumps. He went limp, mind silently screaming at him to do something, do anything to stop the man as his rough hands travelled over the spandex of his suit, picking carefully at the seams, but he was useless, hands trembling as fists in his lap, ropes going slack.

~

X-Ray had gone barrelling over trees and mounds of dirt, knees scraping against harsh terrain, gaze fixed on a carbon copy of himself.

When he struck the crest of the valley where his doppelganger was standing, glancing back through the gates with a troubled look, X-Ray ducked into the reaching swatches of grass, crawling forward with panicked fingers so that he could watch the man.

It was surreal. He looked _exactly_ the same, but no glasses perched on his face, and he was fitted in a tuxedo, white gloves tucked into his front pocket, and a pearly half-mask covering his brow and the bridge of his nose. It couldn’t be him, but it had to be. Even in the half-dusk, it was unmistakable, the wave of his hair, the tan skin with the scratchy half-beard.

X-Ray made his mind up, he _had_ to talk to this man.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vav makes an escape, and X-Ray sees double.

Vav was shaking, falling into oblivion, eyes blind, mouth mute. He could hear Mogar snoring away in his bed, could feel the air brushing against his bare skin, but everything inside was like a black hole. Void of everything, crushing his being, weighing down in his chest like a sickness he’d never felt before. Vav only just managed to bring his hands up to his face, feeling the welts across his cheeks, trailing trembling fingers across a neck filled with bruises and bite marks.

His eyes stared, unseeing, out into the darkness of the courtyard, the torches blurring in and out of focus. Slowly, but surely, he felt his mind open under prying touches, flowing slowly at first, with little thoughts, stinging memories too fresh to forget, but forming into an unstoppable tidal wave, drowning him with screeching self-blame.

That was when Vav started trying to escape, wrenching on the ropes with sheer desperation, eyes wide and filled with tears, fingernails scraping painfully against the inside of his gloves. He was silent, but wild, throwing his whole body into his escape, the ropes rubbing against the already raw skin of his wrists. He tugged, nearly throwing his body down the stairs in the process, and felt a ghost smile on his lips when the ropes frayed. He raised the ropes to his mouth, teeth ripping into the rough hemp strands, his feet kicking against the stone with dull thuds. He felt his tears well up and let them fall onto the bloody mess of his wrists. He whimpered around the ropes as the salt burned into his flesh, but kept tearing at his bonds, feeling faint with triumph when finally the ropes binding his hands snapped. He quickly yanked at the ropes around his ankles, memorising the way Tuxedo Mask had tied them, a bit looser than before, and nearly yelled when they fell away from his legs.

He scrambled to the edge of the throne, let his body roll down the steps and spent a few moments gathering himself for the sprint he was about to endure to the gates. He stood, legs shaking from the lack of movement, but stronger since Tuxedo Mask had freed him. He took a deep breath, and flew, heavy thuds echoing through the night as he raced to the gates, only a few metres away. He knew he’d have to climb the gates, knew he wouldn’t be strong enough, but it would have to be done, he  _ had  _ to escape these lunatics.

“PET!” The roar made Vav whine, body pushing harder until he collapsed against the gate, body trembling. Mogar was awake. The rough steel dug into his tender hands, as he pulled himself up, feet frantically finding purchase in the gaps of the gate. He was almost there!

He could hear the hustle and bustle behind him, feet thudding against the gravel, and he screamed in pure terror as he hauled himself up the gate. He was halfway to the top.

“Shoot him down. NOW!” Mogar yelled. Vav didn’t bother to look behind him, hands reaching for the top of the gate -  _ so close _ \- and a shriek left his lips as an arrow pierced his hand. Tears coursed down his face as blood spurted from the wound. The arrow was pierced through his palm, each movement sending fresh jolts of pain through Vav’s nervous system. He ignored this all though, and kept climbing, his teeth near piercing his lip from how hard he was biting down, not wanting to give the King the satisfaction of displaying his pain.

“Get him down!!!” Mogar screamed at his subordinates, each of them glancing at each other in doubt but doing as his Lordship said.

Arrows were sent flying, each with their own precision that meant none of the Brit’s vitals were damaged, but maximum pain was to be caused. Vav sat astride the gate, blood soaking his suit purple, hair matted and face grim. “You will  _ never  _ see me again!” His cry echoed through the landscape, before an arrow landed perfectly in between his shoulder blades, his face falling, body going limp before he toppled back over the gate. Right into the arms of the Bear King.

~

The shout made X-Ray’s heart break, watching as deadly arrows were released. He could see Vav now, with his X-Ray vision, bloody and battered, sitting atop the gate to the courtyard, so close to escape. X-Ray scrambled forward, nearly screaming his sorrow when he saw Vav fall, onto the other side of the gate, into the arms of the King. He sprang to, without even thinking, and sprinted to the gate. He was stationed not too far away from the building, only a mere hundred metres, and reached the gate just in time to slam against the metal bars. His doppelganger was there, on guard, and looked at him, bow and arrows at the ready. There was a moment of silence, and then the guard opened his mouth.   
“X-Ray?”

~

X-Ray glared around the tiny dirt bunker. Ryan - apparently the King’s favourite for his deviousness and love of violence - was tied up and gagged in the corner. He writhed with muffled yelling, beet-red, feet digging into the rough dirt. Standing by his side, on guard, was one that Tuxedo Mask called Jack. He had a bike helmet on, and cheery eyes stared behind the screen between the murderous henchman, and their new guest.

The other men, if they could be called that, were surrounding him, with curious eyes.

Tuxedo Mask stood by his side, defiantly glaring down Ryan who was cursing through his gag, eyes burning.

“This,” Tuxedo Mask smiled balefully at his companions. “Is my double - from another universe.”

CreeperGavin made a soft chirruping noise, sharp blue eyes staring out of the void of his mask’s eyes. X-Ray gestured to him, chewing on his lip. “You're this world's Gavin?”

The Brit hurried forward, eyes wide, pawing at his outstretched hand. X-Ray flinched back, but at the pained look in Gavin’s eyes, he held out his hand again.

Tuxedo Mask leaned in close to X-Ray, lips drawn into a tight line. “He was badly hurt by a Creeper when he was young - the blast damaged his face, his throat. Most of the left side of his body.”

X-Ray swore he could see unshed tears shining in Tuxedo’s eyes.

“He can't talk?”

“No, but he signs well enough. I'm the only one who bothered to learn to communicate with him.”

CreeperGavin signed and Tuxedo Mask translated that he was very happy to meet him - that he'd been watching his own double very closely and he knew how heartbroken X-Ray must feel.

X-Ray sighed through his nose. “Heartbroken?”

Tuxedo Mask shot him a sly glance. “You looked pretty messed up when you came trying to crash the gate down.”

X-Ray’s mouth twisted. “Whatever.”

Gavin backed away, letting the others crowd around X-Ray. 

The man in Halo armour tsked through his teeth. “Always wondered what Tux looked like under that mask. Now I know he's not much of a looker.” There was a sharp orange-tinted grin aimed at X-Ray before Tuxedo Mask stepped up to him, eyes narrowing behind his ivory mask.

“Say that again, Geoff.”

Geoff’s eyes darted between the two doubles before he broke into howls of laughter.

“Oh my god! I can't believe you fell for it! I'm joking, you're the finest piece of ass I've ever seen, Tux.” He mock cooed.

Tuxedo Mask punched Geoff lightly on the arm, a sharp grin crossing his features. x-Ray rolled his eyes, drawing a hand across his face.

“We need to get Vav.” He muttered. Tuxedo Mask shot him a look, his eyes betraying the doubtful expression on his face behind the mask.

“Once was easy enough, but now…” He whispered. “Now Mogar won’t leave his side.”

X-Ray felt his stomach sink, turning his face from the others before he rubbed at his eyes, cursing away the well of tears threatening to spill onto his cheeks. “I need Vav.” He hissed.


End file.
